Hunter S. Thompson is an American icon and literary legend. Best known for his book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, his style of journalism is distinct and popular. It is no surprise, if a bit unorthodox, that ESPN would run a piece by him in the aftermath of September 11th. To quote Cheech Marin for Newsweek in 1996, five years before the September 11th attacks, “the imprimatur of literary eminence means Thompson … [is] respected,” and this explains how an article that that decries “all hope for Peace in Our Time” and states that “We are At War now” with a “mysterious Enemy” can still be so well written, so on-the-nose, and receive such a large platform (Marin, 1996, and Thompson, 2001).
Thompson has obviously led a fairly colorful life,…